Protective headgear of various varieties are worn by participants in many different sporting events. For example, helmets are always worn by those participating in sports such as football and hockey, and a batting helmet is worn by a baseball player when batting or running the bases. These batting helmets can be sized to fit over an existing baseball cap, or can be worn directly on the head, but they are removed when the player takes the field for defensive purposes. However, the baseball player is still at risk of head injury while in the field, but it would not be practical for the cumbersome batting helmet to be worn by all players while in the field. Thus, the need exists for a protective headgear which takes on the configuration and appearance of a conventional cap without impeding the ability of the user to move about with the hat in place.